Wringer



Sept. 14 1926.

sept. 14 1926. 1,599,680'- s. E. scHRoEDYER K y WRINGER Filed March 21. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 By l Sept. 14 1926..

S. E. SCHROEDER WRINGER Filed March 2l, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MQMWJMME Patented Sept.. 14, 1926.

SIMON' E. SCHROEDER, OF CICERO, ILLINGIS.

WRINGJER.

Application led March 21, 1921.

My invention has reference to a device for wringing clothes, and more particularly to the t-ype that it is customary to use in connection with washing machines.

Power washing machines have come into very extensive use, and are usually provided with a power operated wringer which is usually mounted at one end on a standard or support so as to swing around the support to wring clothes from various receptacles placed around the support. Because such wringers are power driven, it is particularly necessary to provide convenient means for quickly releasing the wringer rolls in case the clothes become bunched, or the operators fingers or hands become caught in the wringer.- It is also advisable, because of the wringer being mounted or supported only at one end, to provide a frame structure which is not only strong and substantial so as to withstand the wear and tear of use, but also to make the frame as light as possible to facilitate movement of the wringer and avoid any tendency of the wringer to sag at the outer end.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide an improved wringer having releasing mechanism for the rolls which may be conveniently and quickly operated; to enable one of the rolls to be released and swung away from the other roll; to provide a wringer frame of light weight, yet of strong substantial construction; to provide a wringer structure in -which the parts are nearly all stampings and few castings'` are employed, thereby increasing the strength of the wringer and decreasing the cost of construction; and, in General, to provide an improved wringer ci? simple fonm, light weight, and which is strong and durable and adapted to be easily assembled, or taken apart.

@n the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of a wringer constructed in accordance with my invention with parts in section and others broken away;

Fig. 2, an enlarged detail view on the' Fig. 4, a sectional View on the line M of Fig.. 1;

Fig. 5, a view looking at the right-hand end of the wringer, as shown in Fig. 1, with the parts in section, on the line 5-5 and Serial No. 453,965.

are preferably stamped from somewhat heavy stock and have their lower ends connected together in spaced relation by a cross-rod 3, the ends of which have the collars 4 fixed thereon, and against which .the respective plates 1 and 2 are clamped by nuts 5 threaded on the ends of the rod 3. A tube extends between and connects the upper ends of the side plates 2, the ends of said tube being preferably shouldered, as indicated at 7 in Fig.. 6, and having the reduced ends riveted or otherwise secured in apertures of the plates 1 and 2.

Each plate l and 2 is provided with a corresponding shaft opening 9 near the lower end in which the shaft 8 of thelower wringer roll 10 is mounted, and the bearing opening 9 of each plate 1 and 2 is supplemented by a itl-shaped half-bearing 11 which extends from and is secured to the respective plate 1 or 2 and embraces the lower portion of the shaft 8. rlfhe wringer roll 10 terminates at adistance from each plate 1 and 2, and a guard is mounted on the inner face of each plate to enclose the gap between the end of the wringer roll and the side plate. rThese guards, which are indicated lat 12 and 13, are similar except that the latter is somewhatu longer than the former `in order to accommodate the gear wheel 14: which is fixed on the shaft 8 at one end of the wringer roll These guards are preferably formed of stamped metal parts which are curved so as to closely embrace the end of the roll, said guards being cut away at the top to avoid interference with the upper wringer "roll 15. rlih'ese guards are formed with a'number of lugs 16 ar ranged at intervals around the outer end, which are riveted in corresponding apertures provided therefor in the respective plates 1 and 2, whereby the guards are rigidly united to the end plates. At the opposite sides of each guard 12 and 13, each plate 1 and 2 has an aperturel to receive the end of a tie rod 17, and each guard 12 and 13 has a sleeve or housing 18 on each side thereof to receive the respective rods 17. These sleeves or housings 18 may be formed in any convenient manner as,'for example, by a centrally arched strap as shown, having flanges 19, which are riveted, spot welded, or secured in any other convenient manner to the outer face of the guard 12 or 13.

For supporting the upper roll 15 there is a hanger 20 at each end of the wringer frame and pivotally mounted on the tube 6, so that the roll 15 carried by the hangers, may be swung away from its normal position above the roll 10. Each hanger comprises a bracket 21 which embraces the tube 6, and is provided with oppositely extending arms, from the outer ends of which depend the pins or shafts 22. A bearing block 23 is positioned between each pair of pins 22 and has lugs 24 engaging the pins so that the bearing block is slidable lengthwise of the pins, said block being held against removal from the pins by cotter pin 25 in the lower end of each pin or shaft 22. Each bearing block 23 has a notch extending upwardly therein from the lower end to afford a bearing for the end of the shaft 26 of the upper wringer roll 15, and a pin 27 is mounted in the bearing block and extends across the' bearing slot so as to retain the shaft therein. The bearing blocks 23 are slidably mounted on the pins 22 to permit vertical adjustment of the upper roll to accommodate the thickness of the material passing between the rolls, and in order to hold the upper roll 15 against the lower roll 10^at a tension, l insert a rubber cushion 28 between the upper end of each bearing block 23 and the corresponding bracket 21 of the hanger.

Each bearing block 23 is formed with a notch 29 near the top which is adapted to be engaged by a pin 30 for holding the wringer roll in the normal operating posi tion. This pin is adapted to slide in a bearing 31 provided therefor in the respective end plate 1 or 2 and is secured to a plate spring 32, the lower end of which is fixed, as at 33, to the respective side plate 1 or 2 and has the upper end positioned in alignment with the opening in the tube 6. This tube 6 has a rod 34 in each end, extending inwardly and terminating at a point intermediate of the ends of the tube, where the latter is formed with a transverse slot 35 through which an adjusting member 36 extends, said member being provided with a grip 37 at each end, whereby the member 36 may be shifted transversely of the tube 6 in the slot 35. The adjusting member 36 is notched at opposite sides, as indicated at 38, w1th the opposite sides of each notch arranged at an inclination as shown, and the inner ends of the rods 34 engage in the notches so that they are permit-ted to slide inwardly under the tension of the springs ieaeeo 32, to permit the pins 30 to engage the notches 29 of the bearing blocks 7When, however, the adjusting member 36 is moved in either direction through the slot 35, the inner ends of the rods 34 are wedged outwardly by the inclined surfaces of the slots 35, and by reason of the engagement of the outer ends of the rods with the springs 32, the latter are sprung outwardly and the pins 3() released from the bearing blocks 23, 'so that the upper wringer roll may be swung from the normal operating position.

A drain pan 39 extends across under the bottom of the wringer and has a flange 40 at each end provided with a slot 41 engaged by a pin 42 extending inwardly from the respective plate 1 and 2, so that the drain pan may be adjusted toward one side or the other of the wringer and is caused to hang at a suitable inclination to drain the water back into the tub from which the clothes are being taken. Obviously, when the drain pan 39 is pulled outwardly at one side of the wringer, the weight at the one side causes it to swing on the pins 42 to the ini clined position, which is determined by the engagement of the flanges 40 with the guards 12 and 13 at the opposite ends of the wringer. To prevent the drain pan being displaced by the clothes as they are drawn upwardly against the outcr'edge of the pan, I provide a pair of links 43 on each plate 1 and 2, and at opposite sides thereof, which swing downwardly into engagement with the flange 40 of the drain pan and lock the pan against such displacement.

The tierods 17 at each side of the wringer may, if desired, be rovided with lingers 44 to prevent the clot es from spreading out towards the ends of the wringer rolls and becoming entangled in or soiled by the gearing or other parts of the wringer structure.`

The power is applied for operating the wringer through the shaft 9, and it is pi'eferred to have a gear drive from the shaft 9 to the shaft 26 to insurepositive operation of the upper wringer roll, and for this reason, the shaft 9 is provided with the spur gear 14 and the shaft 26 with a spur ear 45 meshing therewith, and the bearing block 23 at the gear end of the roller 15 has an inwardly extending curved flange 46 forming a guard from' the gear whereas the bearing block 23 at the other end is formed with a plain face plate 47.

For mounting the wringer` the tie rods 17 may be extended, as indicated at 48, beyond the end plate 2 and threaded or constructed in any suitable manner to effect the required attachment.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the wringer frame is of unusually light construction, may be readily assembled, and that the danger of injury to the clothes lor lll() to the hands of the operator is minimized owing to the swinging arrangement of the upper roll, and the accessibility and ease of operation of the mechanism for releasing the upper roll. If the upper roll is released, while the wringer is in operation, the operating pressure of the gear wheel 14 aga-inst the gear wheel 45 of the upper roll will 1mmediately force the upper rollaway from engagement with the lower roll.

IVhile I have shown and described my invention in a certain form, I am awareVV that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the principles of my invention, the scope of' which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a wringer, the combination of a frame having a. wringer roll journaled therein in a fixed position, a support pivoted on the frame on an axis directly above said wringer roll and having a wringer roll movable therewith laterally to either side of the fixed wringer roll, resilient means on the support for yielding-ly engaging the latter roll with the fixed roll `and a latch adapted to engage the support as the latter moves from either side to a position over the fixed wringer roll and to lock the second mentioned wringer roll in said position.

2. In a wringer, the combination of a :frame having a wringer roll journaled therein in a fixed position, a pair of hangers pivoted on an axis above and parallel with the axis of the fixed wringer roll, a wringer roll having the ends thereofslidably supported on the hangers for movement to and from the pivotal axis of the latter, releasable means for holding the hangers in a depend# ing position against swinging movement so that the roll carried thereby engages against the'top of the fixed roll, and means for applying a resilient pressure to the swinging roll at each end for resiliently holding said roll against the fixed roll.

3. In a wringer, the combination of a frame comprising end members having a connector extending therebetween at the upper ends, a pair o wringer rolls journaled in the frame below the connector, one of which said rolls is adapted for movement laterally to and from the other roll, means for holding the roll against such movement when engaging with the other roll, and a releasing member intermediate of the ends of the aforesaid connector and operable transversely thereof to release the aforesaid means.

1l. In a wringer, a pair of end plates, means for connecting said end plates including an upper hollow member, a pair of relatively movable rolls supported between said end plates, a pair of swingable supports suspended from said hollow member for susv taining the movable roll,'a latch for locking `each support in pendant position, and means respectively, the said latch members being adapted to interlock when the second roll member isl moved into operative position above the driven roller, and means to disengage the latch members to permit the second roll member and swingable frame to be moved into inoperative position to either side of the drivenroller.

6. In a wringer, a main frame, a fixed wringer roller mounted in said frame, means for driving said wringer roller, a second frame pivotedy to said main frame and adapted to swing laterally in both directions from the vertical plane of the fixed wringer roller, a second wringer roller mounted in said swinging frame, means-for placing the rollers under tension when the axis of the second wringer roller is swung into substantially the plane of the fixed wringer roller, and releasable interlocking means for said frames to normally retain the rollers in substantially the same vertical plane.

7. A wringer mechanism havingin combination, end plates, a fixed wringer roll mounted in said end plates, a hanger pivotally mounted adjacent each of said end plates so as to be free to swing laterally in both directions from the vertical plane ot the fixed wringer roll, means for locking each hanger member in the vertical plane of the fixed roll, means for releasing each of said locking means simultaneously, an upper 'roll mounted in said hanger, said upper roll being mounted for movement in a vertical plane toward 'and from the lower roll, and. means for resiliently pressing each end of the upper roll toward the lower roll.

8. A device of the class described having in combination, spaced end plates, a fixed wringer roll mounted in said end plates, hangers pivotally mounted adjacent each of said end plates, vertically movable bearings carried by said hangers, an upper wringer roller mounted in said bearings, means carried by each hanger for resiliently resisting the upward movement of said bearings, said hangers and upper roller being normally positioned in a vertical plane above the lower roller and adapted to swing about the hanger pivots as a unit in each direction laterally of said plane, cooperating fastening elements on each hanger member and end plate for normally retaining the hangers and the upper roller in the vertical plane above the lower roller, means for releasing each of said looking elements to permit the hangers and upper roller to swing about said pivots to either side of the iiXed roller.

9. A wringer mechanism having in combination, spaced end plates, a lower wringer roll fixedly mounted in said end plates, a hanger member pirotally mounted adjacent each end plate, said hanger members comprisingr spaced dependent rods, bearings slidably mounted upon said rods7 means at the lower end of said rolls Vfor retainingY the bearings thereon, means for resiliently urging each bearing toward the lower roller7 an upper wringer roller mounted in said bearings, said hangers and upper wringer roller beingr normally positioned aboveithe lower reaaeeo Wringer roller in the vertical plane thereot and adapted to swing about the hanger pivots in opposite directions toA each side of said plane, means for locking the hangers and upper roller in said vertical plane7 said looking means comprisinga spring plate secured to each end plate, a locking pin carried by said spring plate, said locking pin being adapted to project through the end plate and into a recess provided in the bearings in the upper wringer roller7 and means for withdrawing said locking pin from said recess to permit the hangers and upper wringer roller to swing as a unit out of the normal vertical plane.

SlHUN E. SCHROEDER., 

